Goncalves Breaks Podium

Honda World Motocross rider Rui Goncalves celebrated his maiden podium finish in MX1, the premier class of the 2011 FIM Motocross World Championship, by taking third overall at an overcast Loket for the Casino Bonver Grand Prix of Czech Republic. Clement Desalle posted his fourth victory of the season, whilst Goncalves placed the CRF450R on the podium for the sixth time from twelve rounds in 2011.

Rui Goncalves

Evgeny Bobryshev

With a liberal coating of rain and permanent grey skies on Sunday the hard-pack terrain started to roughen up and develop ruts and lines in some corners, but the twisty layout and high-speed nature of the circuit signified close lap-times with precious few overtaking opportunities. Increased emphasis was placed on the start and this is where Goncalves was able to excel with two getaways in the top five. The Portuguese rider then fended off Desalle for second position for almost all of the first moto until having to accept third by the flag. In the second race – run on a drying track – the 26 year old was again solid to secure another third place. He sprayed champagne for the first time since 2009, this being his last MX2 category rostrum finish.

Team-mate Evgeny Bobryshev was a little out-of-sorts with the changeable Loket track, but followed Goncalves to fourth position in the opening race. The Russian then fell on the first corner of the second moto and although he charged back with trademark speed (setting the fastest lap as he tried to cut through traffic) a couple of mistakes and two bike stalls meant that he was pushed far down the order, so much so that he retired from the moto with a damaged motorcycle.

Bobryshev was thirteenth overall and just ahead of him were the LS Honda Racing duo. Shaun Simpson was eleventh at the end of the day with moto results of tenth and eleventh respectively after some reasonable starts. The Scot suffered a brief crash in the second moto that prevented a top ten standing at the second time of asking. Ken De Dycker was twelfth in the classification and was initially a doubt for the Grand Prix after his crash in Lommel last weekend led to a stiff neck and sore shoulders. After treatment the Belgian was able to participate in Loket, but could only manage fifteenth and ninth in the two sprints and was clearly operating below full fitness, coupled with a dislike of the racing surface.

Bobryshev is forty-three points from third place in the MX1 standings and nine points ahead of Max Nagl. In sixth is Goncalves who is twenty-nine points a drift of the German. De Dycker rest in eighth while Simpson is thirteenth.

Round thirteen of fifteen will take place in two weeks time at the Matterley Basin circuit close to Winchester for the British Grand Prix.

Shaun Simpson

Ken DeDycker

Rui Goncalves (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 3rd/3rd Championship position: 6th
“It has been a long wait! Last week I had one foot on the podium, but I fell off! But I kept on focussing on making a result like this and I am sure I can repeat it with the same approach and work for the next races. The ground is really special here. It is gravelly and very slippery and everyone takes pretty much the same line because that’s where it’s dry. At the start of the season I was making good starts, but I was not feeling 100% with the bike yet after so many years with another brand. The Honda was another step, but I have been getting used to it and it has just been getting better and better and we have all been working well in the team towards the same goal.”

Evgeny Bobryshev (Honda World Motocross)
Race Result: 4th/DNF Championship position: 4th
“I just want to go back to the hotel and forget this day! The weekend didn’t start well and generally I don’t have a good feeling about this GP. The only positive thing was the first moto and a pretty good ride. After the crash in the second I found my speed and lines and made the best lap of the race. There was not much you could do on this track. There was no way to come back. I was on the limit and stalled the bike twice, but I survived in one piece at least.”

Shaun Simpson (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 10th/11th Championship position: 14th
“It has been a tough weekend and I haven’t really gelled with the track. I was a bit off the pace yesterday. The first moto was not too bad actually and I was pleased with tenth, but we struggled a little with the rear tyre. We used a different one for the second moto, but it seemed like it was going off after about twenty minutes. I just got on with it for the second moto and my speed was good for the first fifteen minutes, but then I had a little slip and Ken and Barragan went past. I was able to pick it up near the end to fend off Frossard. Overall it was a decent weekend with my third best result of the year with last week being my best. I can’t wait to get back to the UK for my home GP now.”

Ken De Dycker (LS Honda Racing)
Race Result: 15th/9th Championship position: 8th
“This is not my favourite track just because it is so fast. If you start well then you can run with the front guys, if not then it’s hard all the way. Considering that I was stuck on the sofa all week this was not too bad. We will make another check on my neck again tomorrow, but I think it is nothing serious. I had twisted the bones and they were trapping some veins and nerves that affected my shoulder.”

Roger Harvey, Honda Motor Europe Off-road Racing Manager:
“It was good to see our plan for the year continuing with another podium result and this time we are very happy for Rui who started well and rode without error to break into the top three. These were always going to be tough conditions for Bobby, but in traffic he set the best lap of the race and showed he had the speed if not the luck today.”